EPL Betting Preview: Manchester United vs. West Ham United

December 22, 2023

West Ham take on Manchester United at the London Stadium in Saturday's early kick-off.

The Hammers earned a 1-0 victory against Manchester United in the last contest between the two sides last season, with Said Benrahma's first-half goal proving to be the difference at the London Stadium in May.

The Red Devils last beat West Ham at the London Stadium in September 2021, with Said Benrahma again opening the scoring for the Hammers, but Cristiano Ronaldo and Jesse Lingard both scored to complete the comeback for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

All in all, the East London outfit are bidding to claim successive wins against Manchester United for the first time since 2007, when they managed three in a row between December 2006 and December 2007.

West Ham United Betting Preview (+155 at MyBookie)

The Hammers are currently ninth in the Premier League table, boasting a record of eight wins, three draws and six losses, which has brought them 27 points, one fewer than their current opponents Manchester United in seventh.

They have won four of their last six league games (4-1-1), including a 3-0 home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

Meanwhile, David Moyes' side are through to the last-16 stage of the UEFA Europa League with a 2-0 home win over Bundesliga side Freiburg earlier this month.

However, their inconsistency has been on display this month, winning three, drawing one and losing two of their six competitive games in December. Their two defeats have actually been heavy ones - a 5-0 at Fulham in the Premier League as well as the 5-1 at Anfield on Wednesday.

The West Ham boss made the decision to rest some first-team figures against Liverpool, and a hugely disappointing performance saw the Hammers bow out of the League Cup.

Moyes will surely make a number of changes to his starting XI for West Ham United's clash against Manchester United, with Emerson Palmieri, Kurt Zouma, James Ward-Prowse and Lucas Paqueta all set to start.

The Hammers will have more time to prepare for their next match as they travel to face London rivals Arsenal on 28 December in their final game of the calendar year.

Said Benrahma boasts three goals in seven appearances against Manchester United across all competitions, losing six of those games though. The Algerian had also scored in the 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Old Trafford last season but considering his current form, he might have to settle for a place on the bench on Saturday.

Michail Antonio remains sidelined with a knee injury, so Jarrod Bowen should once again lead the line.

Bowen scored his 12^th goal of the campaign (10 of them in the Premier League) against Liverpool - on his 27^th birthday - but the final outcome wasn't the best birthday gift.

Yet, the England international already reached double figures almost halfway through the season and is just two goals away from leveling his most prolific Premier League record of 12 goals in 36 appearances during 2021-22.

With his brace against Wolves last weekend, summer signing Mohammed Kudus has already scored five goals in the Premier League this season, and the Ghanaian winger is set to feature in the final third alongside Lucas Paqueta and Bowen. Having joined Dutch giants Ajax - his former club - under Erik ten Hag, Kudus will be keen to remind his ex-boss what he’s made of on English soil.

Nayef Aguerd and Maxwel Cornet have both been suffering with an illness, but only the former should start here if fit.

Elsewhere, veteran Lukasz Fabianski may well get the nod over Alphonse Areola in goal.

Manchester United Betting Preview (+160 at MyBookie)

Erik ten Hag's men remained composed to play out a 0-0 draw at arch rivals Liverpool in their last match. They will be aiming to build on a welcome point at Anfield last weekend when they resume their Premier League campaign away to West Ham United early on Saturday.

The Red Devils have won nine, drawn just one but lost seven of their 17 top-flight games this term to collect 28 points, which has left them in seventh spot in the table, where they are currently seventh, six points behind the top four.

Having conceded just seven goals in eight games away from Old Trafford, Manchester United boast the joint-best away record in the league alongside Arsenal. Still, they have one of the least efficient attacks with just 18 goals scored in 17 games (eight of them on the road).

Moreover, Manchester United have only won one of their last six matches in all competitions - a 2-1 home victory over Chelsea in the Premier League on December 6 - and they have since lost to Bournemouth and Bayern Munich at Old Trafford, prior to the goalless draw at Anfield last time out.

All in all, Erik ten Hag’s side failed to score in four of their last five matches in all competitions and they will have to drastically improve their attacking performance from now on.

The Red Devils will follow this game with a home clash against high-flying Aston Villa on Boxing Day, before finishing the year away to Nottingham Forest on 30 December, so it could be a season-shaping period for the club.

Already out of the Carabao Cup, thus failing to defend their trophy, and European competition, while they did not even qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League, with an extremely disappointing group-stage campaign in the Champions League seeing them finish bottom, Manchester United can only hope for a better second half of the Premier League campaign and a good run in the FA Cup.

Diogo Dalot was sent off late at Anfield last weekend and the Portuguese international is suspended for Saturday, so Aaron Wan-Bissaka is set to start at right-back.

Erik ten Hag confirmed that Victor Lindelof is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines following surgery as the Swedish defender joins the likes of Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Mason Mount and Jadon Sancho on the absentee list.

Marcus Rashford could once again start on the bench with Antony and Alejandro Garnacho expected to flank Rasmus Hojlund in attack. The Danish forward is still looking for his first Premier League goal but is expected to get the nod over Rashford and Martial.

Captain Bruno Fernandes served a suspension of his own and the playmaker should start in the middle.

Meanwhile, the Manchester United boss revealed a number of players had suffered from illness this week and are now in a race against the clock to be fit for Saturday's trip to the capital.

Possible Starting Lineups of West Ham United and Manchester United

West Ham United: Lukasz Fabianski - Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Emerson - James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez - Mohammed Kudus, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta - Jarrod Bowen. (4-2-3-1)

Manchester United: Andre Onana - Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans, Raphael Varane, Aaron Wan-Bissaka - Kobbie Mainoo, Scott McTominay - Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Antony - Rasmus Hojlund. (4-2-3-1)

Spooky Express Betting Prediction

There has not actually been a draw between these two clubs since July 2020, with each of their last nine encounters producing a winner, but we are finding it difficult to separate them at that moment.

Manchester United are to be the fresher of the two sides. They had a full week to prepare for the trip to London, while West Ham will enter this weekend off the back of a 5-1 defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

West Ham United's league form is strong, however, and both managers might have to accept a share of the spoils at the London Stadium this weekend.

The Hammers have picked up 14 points from their eight top-flight games at the London Stadium this term (4-2-2) and they would move into sixth place with a victory over Manchester United here.

Erik ten Hag’s side, on the other hand, have picked up 13 points from their eight away games (4-1-3) in the Premier League this season.

Yet, predicting what kind of display you’ll get from Manchester United this season is one of the most difficult challenges right now. Ten Hag was pleased with his side’s defensive game to hold Liverpool to a goalless stalemate at Anfield last Sunday, yet that took their ongoing winless and goalless streak to three games across all competitions (0-1-2) - a record far below their standards.

Spooky Express Free Play: Over 3 Goals +110 at MyBookie for 5/10 Units

Return to Soccer Previews List